abbott



July 3, 1923.

F. E. ABBOTT SPLICE BAR FOR RAIL JOINTS Filed Nov. 26 1920 Patented July3, 1923.

UNITED sraras oam PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN E. ABBOTT, or serrate, new YonK, nssreuon, MESNTJ assreurrunrs,

T BETHLEHEM srrnnnoonrrnnr or NEW me, A eonronarron or new YORK.

SPLICE BAR FOR RAIL JOINTS Application filed November 26, 1920. SerialNo. 426,426.

To all whmnfitmog concern:

Be it known. th at I, FRANKLIN E. .ztnnorr, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing!" at liutlalo in the county of Erie and State of NewYorln have invented new and useful Improvements in Splice Bars for RailJoints, of Which the following is a specifics tion. I

This invention relates to improvements in splice-bars for the joints ofrailway rails and more particularly to an improved. form of splice-barpeculiarly adapted to facilitate the rigid securing: of the joint bymeans of? a connecting; Weld between the splice-bars and the rails. Thebar oi my present invention. has tor its objectto provide a splice-baroi? improved construction embodying special. provision for obtaining amore eificient Weld.- ed connection between the bar and the rail], andwhich will, moreover, materially sim plitly the operation of 'WQlCllDQ',and result in a corresponding; economy of installation As commonlypracticed in connection with electric tramways, the splice-bars arerigidly connected to the respective rail euds by a Welding process so asto provide a rigid joint between the rails. (histomarily the weldedconnection between the splice-bar and rail is accomplished by means oi.a weld ing rod which is suitably held in position along the line ofweld. desired and subjected. to a "Welding flame. whereby the metal ofthe rod is fused with that oil. the rail and. bar so as to form auniting weld. In so Welding the joints composed of the standard, typesof splice bars as hereto-Fore employed, considerable difliculty has beenencountered in producing the connecting Weld between the upper edgeo-Fthe splice-bars and the under side of the rail head. and inol'itainine; a proper Weld therebetweon. The dillicuh ties iiresented,as will be readily appreciated, occur by reason of the outer face of thesplice-bar being substantially in the vertical plane defining the outerside of the rail head or Within such. plane, imposing; the require nientthat the Welding rod be manually held or supported in position during;the Welding operation. As a result thereof, the Weldin operation at thispoint has been not only diliicult, but the resulting Weld is lacking inuniformity and efiectiveness; Tn accordance with my present invention, Ih ave simply and efleetively eliminated the objections aforesaid, by asimple change in the term of the splice bars Which is readilyproduced inthe rolling of the bars and consists in the formation oi. a sm allsl'loulder extension longitudinally oil the upper marginal edge of thesplice-bar, and of a form adapted to project outwardly from the outersides of the rail head and provide 7 a supporting shoulder adapted tosupport the Welding; i

rod thereon in proper position For producing the desired connectingWeld. Accordingly by the use of my improved dosigm ot splice-bain theWeld between the rail head and bar may be simply and quickly accomplished by placing: the iveldimi; rod upon the supporting shoulderprovided therefor, and suhiectinp; same to the Welding-flame.

The described and other valuablelectures of my present invention will heunderstood. by reference to the accompanyingdrarvinejs wherein likereference numerals are applied to the COII'GSPOTKllDg parts in theseveral views.

Tn the drawings: i Fig. l. is a vertical cross sectional view throughrail joint COO'JPOSG Fl oi splice bars embodying; the features of mypresent in vention. v I i Fig. 9 is a side elevation (it one or the spice bars oi Whichthe rail joint of F l, is composed. i

Fig. 3 a vertical cross sectional yiew of a: rail ioint comprisingsplice-bars of a different type embodying; the li'eatures oli myinvention. W

In the figures 1 indicates the rails; the meeting: ends of which areconnected by the rail. joint in the usual manner. As here showvnftherail ends are connected by the splice-bars 2 which are arranged inpairs, one on each side olithe rails and held in position by securingbolts titted to the aper tures in the splicebars and rail in the trustomary manner. The rail iointi, as here illustrated. may also embody adesirable form of base plate 4; positioned beneath the meeting rail endsand. hridgim; the ties in the usual manner.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the splicebars 2 may eon'lorm largely tostandard. cross section and to carry out the purposes and to obtain theadvantages of my invention, the u per portion of the bars are modifiedin form to provide the Welding shoulder eratensimwoada to projectslightly beyond the ouster aii e surface of the rail head. Theseshoulders. are of a form to provide sup. ,ortfor .a welding rod 6 asindicated.

- edge of the. splice bar, at the bottom thereof.

sirably be about three sixteenths of an inch and at the junction of theouter surface of the rail fiangeand upper surface of the base platerespectively,

Theweld supporting shoulders may dein width and in the. welding theabrupt shoulder thereof is merged into the substantia-l-ly flattenedweld.

In the approved form of fish plate type of splice-bar, illustrated in Fis. 1 and 2,

the welding shoulder 5 may desirably be of thesi ze and form illustratedwhich permits ofit being rolled as an integral part of the bar andextends longitudinally ofthe upper andouter marginal. edge thereof. Thetop surface of the welding shoulder 5 is as shown, inclined as acontinuation of the to surface or fishing angle of the'ban,

l'he shoulder 5 is of. sufl'icient size to provide support for thewelding rod 6, which is laid thereon preparatory to being welded orfused with the metal of the rail head and splice-bar shoulder. Thus bysimple modification in the rolling of the bar special provision is, madeto facilitate the welding operation in a. manner contributing to theefficiency of the weld. and efleeting substantial economy in-theinstallation. n the approved form illustrated in Fig.

.1, the form of the splice-bar permits of it being reversed in positionif it is desired to produce an unwelded joint. When so re: versed thesplice-bars will be of standard non-projecting relation, with relationto the under side of the rail-head.

While I have shown and described an approred embodiment of the featuresof my invention, it will be understood that the same issubject tovarious modifications w'thoutdeparting fromthe spirit and scope o theinvention. For instance I have shown in Fig' 3 ,my improved feature ofthe weld supporting shoulder 5 incorporated in a standard form ofsplice-bar of the angle bar vtype, wherein the splice-bar 2 is providedat its lower portion with an outwardl extending flange 9, bearin uponthe base ange of the raih Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A splice-bar for rail joints of standard section formszid Iwith ashouldgr extension projeeti tly be 0nd .t e ower edge of the iii hind togrovide salmon for a welding rod, said shoulder being of a size toprovide normal clearance for the wheel flange.

2. The combination in a welded rail joint of the two rails having theirends arranged adjacent and splice-bars engaging the rails on theopposite sides of the web thereof, said splice bars being of standardrolled section and being provided with shoulder extensions upon theupper, outer marginal edges thereof, projecting slightly beyond thelower ed es of the rail head and having the top suriiices of theshoulder extensions formed in continuation of the fishing angle at theunder side of the, rail head to provide support for a welding rod, andsaid shoulder extensions being of a size allowing clearance for thewheel flange.

3. A reversible fish plate ty 0 of splicebar for rail joints of astandar section provided along one of its outer marginal edges with asmall shoulder extension of a form adapted to project beyond the lowerouter edge of the rail head to provide support for a welding rod,substantially as described.

24. A reversible fish plate type of splicebar for rail joints ofsubstantially stan ard section and provid along one of its oupermarginal edges with a smal longitudina 1y continuous shoulder extens on,of a form adapted to project beyond the Iower outer edge of the railhead to provide support fora welding rod and of a siz'e allowing forclearance of the wheel 5. The combination in a weldie d rail joint ofthe two rails having their ends arranged adjacent and splieeabars enagin the rails on the opposite sides of t e we) thereof, saidsplice-bars being of standard sections modified to provide rolledlongitudinally continuous shoulder extensions upon the upper, outermarginal edges thereo pro'evting' slightly beyond the lowerledges o therail head and of a size allowing for clearance of the wheel flange andhaving the top surfaces of the shoulderf extensions formed incontinuation of the fishing angle at the under side of the rail head toprovide support for a welding rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this ecification. to a?RANKLIN s. ABBOTT.

